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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26378932">Clamor</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/errant_cat_hair/pseuds/errant_cat_hair'>errant_cat_hair</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Final Fantasy XIV</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 08:21:01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>605</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26378932</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/errant_cat_hair/pseuds/errant_cat_hair</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>X’rhun Tia enters a dueling tournament to free a girl, and gets a nice surprise.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Clamor</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The poster on the wall of the Coffer and Coffin was garish in its presentation. Emblazoned in bright letters, it proclaimed one of the worst ideas he’d ever comprehended. It read:</p>
<p>“Riches! Prosperity! The hand of my daughter in marriage! To these go the winner of Master Haberdat’s tournament!”</p>
<p>Further details below led to one of the wealthier hamlets in Ul’dah, with the contest to be held in the next two days. </p>
<p>The alehouse wench replaced his drink with another. “Best of luck to whoever is crazy enough to enter. Word on the sands is Haberdat’s a fervent hater of mages and believes only in brute strength,” she commented to the man seated at the bar reading the sign. “Nasty business and that poor girl. It’s usually hit or miss with steel wielders, but most will want the riches before her.” The man garbed in red downed his ale, “Nasty business, you say? It sounds like I’m entering a tournament.” X’rhun Tia paid for their service and walked out the door.</p>
<p>The unnamed mining hamlet had never seen so many people. The contest had spread by word of mouth across Ul’dah and many competitors had shown up, from brawny marauders to fleet-handed rogues. No magic was allowed. Bouts were drawn at random and as the day went on, the participants were whittled down. While he prided himself in balancing magic and swordplay, X’rhun held his own against green and experienced adventurers alike. </p>
<p>The final two combatants were invited to a wide stage in front of a pavilion where Haberdat and his daughter sat. A crowd had surrounded the stage, eager to see who would emerge triumphant. “Welcome, welcome to the final engagement!” Haberdat hollered to the people. “ Our final two participants: the dashing miqo’te in red and a masked fellow! Gentlemen, engage!” </p>
<p>X’rhun drew his rapier and was shocked when his opponent did the same, “For both our sakes, sir, I hope you know how to use that.” The masked man said nothing, but flipped the blade into the air, twirled in a circle and caught the falling weapon in a deft hand. The miqo’te man smiled and the swordsmen sprang to greet each other’s steel. </p>
<p>Stories were told for weeks on end how they danced. The clamor of the crowd grew louder as they slashed at each other. A brief pause, both combatants slick with sweat and breath heavy to once again clash in the middle, a struggle of strength. “If you knew my intent,” X’rhun panted, “then you would lay down your blade or at the least join my cause!” The masked man said nothing again but gestured his head towards the girl sitting in the pavilion. “The girl? I seek to free her, not wed her. Only a few women have had my heart, and I live to fight injustice, not indulge it,” the miqo’te man huffed. “Then, Deep Red X’rhun Tia, we are of one mind on the issue.” Springing backwards, the man removed his mask to reveal the face of a miqo’te woman renown throughout Eorzea: the Warrior of Light. “A’shara!?” X’rhun cried. </p>
<p>If the crowd was loud before, they neared explosion level in volume. Haberdat roared in rage and charged the stage. A jolt of red magic came from A’shara and blasted the man in the stomach. “Never underestimate the power of the mind!” she yelled. Haberdat’s daughter leapt from the stage into the arms of a waiting youth and they showered each other in kisses. Sensing the girl was safe but the crowd was rowdy, the two miqo’te sprang away and left the hamlet at a quick pace.</p>
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